Instagram Marketing: A Quick Guide For Make Sales On Instagram

As of 2021 Instagram is one of the top five social media sites for small businesses. It has over 1 billion monthly active users. With so many people using Instagram on a daily basis, it’s almost impossible not to find any potential customers.

If you're a small business looking to monetize Instagram by selling your products or services, you’ll need more than just a few high-quality photos and videos to beat the ever changing algorithm. Even an Instagram account with a large follower count needs to have a good mix between an optimized Instagram business profile, a solid content strategy, and a commitment to consistency.

Optimizing Your Instagram Business Account & Profile

Before we dive into any Instagram marketing tips, you need to understand how to properly set up your Instagram business profile.  Your profile is one of the most important aspects of selling on Instagram because it’s where customers can find a brief overview of your business to decide if they want to shop with you or not. 

One of the first mistakes business owners make is not switching their Instagram from personal to business. By having a personal account, you lose access to Instagram analytics tools that give you insight into what your Instagram target audience looks like. You’ll also have lose access to Instagram ads which can hurt your chances of increasing your reach across the platform. 

Instagram Bio

The bio section on Instagram has a 150 word maximum so you’ll need to make the most of the space available. Avoid using any keywords or hashtags because they aren’t searchable and they won’t help your audience understand who you are or what your business offers. 

The first thing you’ll need to do is pick a name and category for your profile. Trove Social Academy is an educational site for social media managers so we chose that for our name and category.

Next, you’ll want to creatively state exactly what you do or what you offer in 150 words or less. We went with “ The #1 membership community for Social Media Managers to build, grow, and scale their business.” It’s catchy and gives visitors a quick overview of what to expect from us. 

Lastly, you need to add a call-to-action (CTA) and the link to your website. Ours invites visitors to join our community.

Creating A Content Strategy That Works

Your Instagram content strategy is directly linked to your Instagram marketing strategy. There are many different features that Instagram offers but you only need focus on these 4 types of Instagram content.

1.Instagram posts

Instagram posts are what your visitors will see directly on your Instagram feed. They can be a photo, video, or combination of both. There’s also a dedicated section for long-form, Instagram live videos. 

Your feed should be carefully curated to promote scrolling because the longer your visitor stays on your page, the more likely they are to buy. Try to post a combination of helpful videos, shareable tips, and entertainment to boost your engagement rates. 

2.Instagram hashtags

Hashtags work like a search engine. They increase the reach of  your page and content so it is searchable. You don’t have to use hashtags if you’ve already built a good audience and have a large reach but they can be invaluable to newer or smaller accounts.

Note: Be sure to research your hashtags to make sure you’re not using any banned hashtags. This can flag your account as spam and you’ll receive a shadowban meaning your content will be barred from showing up on any hashtag search results. 

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3.Instagram Stories & Live 

Instagram Stories allows you to post extra content that may not fit on your feed. Stories usually feature more organic content like behind the scenes, entertainment, and more. Your IG stories are very similar to Snapchat because they disappear after 24 hours. 

Instagram Lives are done in the same place where stories are posted and they allow you to show content in real-time. Use this feature to hold virtual events, Q&As, or just to engage and chat with your followers.

4.Reels

Over the last year, Instagram Reels have become increasingly popular due to its similarities to TikTok. Users can post short-form content that can be used to share quick tutorials, educational tips, and short BTS content. 

How To Stay Consistent on Instagram

Staying consistent on Instagram is vital for growth and for making sales. There’s a marketing strategy that says "a typical customer needs to be exposed to a business about seven times before they make a purchase." This means that you must show up consistently on Instagram in order for your Instagram marketing strategy to be successful.

Listen to the Go Getter Podcast Episode With Tyler Denae

Consistency is hard and we know that, so we have only one major tip for helping you stay on top of your content. 

We recommend using the post scheduling app Planoly where you can plan and schedule Instagram posts, manage multiple accounts, & create a cohesive social media feed from your computer or phone.

Watch our Planoly tutorial below. 

Are you ready to become a Social Media Manager? Sign up for the Trove Social Academy Masterclass today to get started. 

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